As part of its Get Active Crawley campaign, Crawley Borough Council is encouraging everyone to get out and enjoy all that its beautiful local parks and green spaces have to offer this Love Parks Week, which is taking place from 24 July to 2 August this year.

Love Parks Week is a national celebration led by Keep Britain Tidy, highlighting the vital role green spaces play in boosting the health and wellbeing of residents and communities. Crawley Borough Council provides and maintains the parks and open spaces in Crawley.

Throughout the week, there is a range of family-friendly events happening across the town in our fantastic local parks so come along and get involved in the fun. Here’s a round-up of the coming week’s highlights:

Friday 24 July 

• Crawley Wellbeing is proud to be a recognised Wheels for All centre and runs regular inclusive cycling sessions for adults and children (aged 8 and up) every Friday (until 2 September), creating a welcoming environment filled with encouragement and fun. Find out more at on the Crawley Wheels for All website

Saturday 25 July

• why not stop off and enjoy Hammonds Funfair at Southgate Park? With rides, games and family fun, it’s a perfect activity for the weekend. Whilst you’re there, you can also take in some cricket with two matches being played right next to the fair

 Sunday 26 July

• take a break from shopping on Sunday and enjoy the Crawley Fusion Mela event in our Green Flag award-winning Memorial Gardens. There will be live music and dancing, including headline act Jassi Sidhu. The event runs from 12pm until 6pm
• there’s also a family fun day at our Green Flag award-winning Goffs Park in aid of St Catherines Hospice. There will be arts and craft stalls, a children’s funfair and a second-hand book sale. The event runs from 11am until 5pm. The Goffs Park Light Railway will also be open throughout the day

 Monday 27 July

• visit the beautiful Worth Park, our Green Flag award-winning park and one of Crawley’s hidden gems. Stroll through the restored Victorian gardens, enjoy the lake, historic fountain and colourful flower displays, and discover the park’s fascinating heritage. Worth Park is the perfect place to relax, explore and connect with nature this summer

Tuesday 29 July

• celebrate Love Parks Week with us by joining one of our weekly Crawley Wellbeing health walks. You can explore Goffs Parks woodlands and lawns by joining the health walk, which is held every Tuesday, meeting at the top car park at 10.30am. Alternatively, you can join the Tilgate Forest health walk, starting at 9.30am from the Tilgate Forest Golf Centre. It’s a great way to enjoy nature, stay active, and connect with your community. Find out more about health walks on the West Sussex Wellbeing website

Wednesday 29 July 

• for those at work, there are plenty of routes to enjoy during lunchtime. Green Flag award-winning Crawter’s Brook at Manor Royal has the broadwalk landscape with plenty of picnic benches and seating areas to use and relax
• Wednesday is also about thanking the great work our gardening volunteers do every Wednesday throughout the year, both at Worth Park and Tilgate Park, to help the parks look great in every season. Thank you!

Thursday 30 July

• a quieter day, so why not explore the various parks and open spaces Crawley has to offer? There are plenty of green spaces to visit including Bewbush Water Gardens, Broadfield Park, West Green Park and more than 70 children’s play areas across the borough
• you can also join our health walk at Tilgate Park today. Find out about this health walk on the West Sussex Wellbeing website

Friday 31 July

• Love Parks Week is the perfect time to pick up a racket and enjoy a game of tennis at one of our nine courts available across Maidenbower, Southgate, and West Green parks. This weekend you can try tennis at all Crawley Parks tennis courts for just £1 throughout the whole weekend so it’s never been easier to get involved! Find out more and book on the Club Spark website

Saturday 1 August

• there’s plenty to do at our Green Flag award-winning Tilgate Park during Love Your Park Week. You can stroll the lakes and gardens, play golf, climb the Go Ape Tree top, enjoy food and drink at our cafes and restaurants and take a boat ride on the main lake. Maybe come along and see some of the wonderful animals in Tilgate Zoo including our new armadillo, listen to our daily keeper talks throughout the summer, or enjoy one of the new lemur animal experiences?

Sunday 2 August

• as Love Your Parks Week comes to an end, why not take a stroll around the Ifield Mill Pond, a lovely landscape full of wildlife? You can also explore the Ifield Watermill Museum which is open from 2pm until 5pm. It is the only watermill in Sussex which is powered by its original water source

Find out more on the Love Parks Week website. Visit our events page to find out what else is on in Crawley.